Five ways to skip Windows 8

As ZDNet's Ed Bott points out, you can just keep using Windows 7. If you also can't ever imagine not using Windows but are getting the heebie-jeebies about Windows 8, when it comes time to buy a new PC tell your computer vendor that you won't even look at Windows 8 and insist on Windows 7.

If Microsoft gets enough push back from its customers, Windows 8 -- like Vista before it -- will get shuffled back into the deck and the previous operating system, XP was given a new lease on life. I believe Microsoft will do that with Windows 7 as well.

In any case, Windows 7 PCs, which will be on sale for at least two more years and it will be supported until 2020. Heck, even XP SP3 will still be supported until April 8, 2014. If you really love Windows, you can keep running the Windows you already know for years still to come rather than deal with Microsoft's poorly conceived Windows 8.

4. I think you can still get IBM DOS 6.2 if you're REALLY retro. eom

6. "Stick with XP" is not a viable solution

not on new hardware (XP 64 has limited driver support for modern hardware; 32-bit is not a solution for a system with more than 4GB of RAM). Couple the lack of driver support with XP support from Microsoft ending, and it's not really a good solution. Win 7 64-bit is what I'd recommend for anyone who needs a desktop OS (or Linux).

8. My two XP Pro boxes are absolutely stable and...

my Win 7 laptop is even better, and a lot faster. Could use a new desktop, and that will be Win7.

So, it seems I can wait out 8 (like I did for Vista) and get the next whizbang OS after 8.

Even if you get tempted by some super deal for a Win8 box with the perfect hardware, you can get Win7 for a hundred bucks or so and kiss 8 goodbye. That might actually be the best idea-- a lot of the Windows problems are caused by manufacturer "enhancements" and a clean install from an MS disk can work wonders.

Linux is all very interesting, but most distros are as bloated as Windows and I would miss WordPerfect and a dozen or so other programs and utilities I use all the time.